Vicky de Lambray
Encyclopedia
Vicky de Lambray also known as Vikki de Lambray, formerly David Christian Lloyd-Gibbon or David Gibbon, was a transvestite male prostitute, conman and thief who became a favourite of Fleet Street
gossip columnists. In an essay called "London Grandeur" Phaedra Kelly says "Vikki's claim was that she would be the most famous transgenderist ever and die dramatically at the age of 30".
According to The Times
newspaper, De Lambray was found dead in August 1986 of a suspected heroin dose in his flat in Stockwell
, south London
. Three hours earlier, he had telephoned the Press Association
and told a reporter: 'I have just been killed. I have been injected with a huge amount of heroin. I am desperate.'
No signs of injury were found on the fully clothed body. A post-mortem examination failed to pinpoint the cause of death. Coroner Sir Montague Levine recorded an open verdict
, saying there was no evidence that de Lambray had been injected with anything, although there were traces of drugs and alcohol in his body.
During his colourful career, de Lambray was often in the headlines because of court appearances, sex scandals and claims that he was a spy. Shortly before his death he had been trying to sell a story to the Sunday newspaper The Sunday People about a wealthy member of the aristocracy who he claimed was being supplied with heroin in return for sexual favours.
In March 1983, a senior British civil servant, Sir James Dunnet, was questioned by Scotland Yard
detectives over a brief sexual encounter he had had with de Lambray in the early years of his retirement. Official concern over this liaison stemmed from the claim of the prostitute that a Soviet spy had also been among his clients at that time, a circumstance which might, given Dunnet's former position at the Ministry of Defence, have constituted a security risk. In the event, Ministry of Defence officials satisfied themselves that Dunnet's actions had constituted no threat to national security
Gay News
carried a short article in September 1983, saying de Lambray was a convicted High Society art thief and apparent MI5 tempter/temptress, and noting his brief sexual relationship with Captain Anatoli Zotov, former Soviet Naval attache. De Lambray's 900 page autobiographical manuscript - "naming names" - went missing in the same year.
In May 1986, detectives investigating a series of homosexual murders found de Lambray's name listed in a suspect's address book. In July 1992, The Evening Standard reported that de Lambray was a friend of Private Eye
journalist Paul Halloran. He was also a friend of British pop group manager and entrepreneur Kit Lambert
.
It remains unclear whether de Lambray was, as claimed by some, a transexual: "sometimes called TS but nobody knows for sure, nor will they now."
De Lambray once changed his name by deed poll
to Louis de Rothschild — hoping he would be confused as a Rothschild family
member. The Rothschild family paid him ten thousand pounds to change it back again, which he did.
Vicky de Lambray claimed he was addicted to the idea of becoming famous. He would regularly hire a Rolls Royce
with the funds received prostituting himself in Shepherd Market
in London's West End
. He would place a large sign in the back of the Rolls, saying VICKY de LAMBRAY—ENTERTAINER, and drive for hours around central London or park outside Harrods.
It was while working at Shepherd Market that de Lambray met the former head of MI6 Sir James Dunnet. During the assignation, de Lambray stole Dunnet's wallet and credit cards and was arrested after a few days while attempting to use Dunnet's credit card.
When de Lambray finally went to trial for the theft, he invented a persona named Caroline Clark who claimed to major newspapers that she was an acquaintance of de Lambrays who would sell Fleet Street newspapers the inside story about an upcoming trial involving a former spy chief. This ruse was extremely profitable for de Lambray who was splashed over the front pages of newspapers-as was Sir James Dunnet. The stories became more and more outrageous with sex stories that would have been highly embarrassing for Dunnet.
Friends warned de Lambray he was going too far by embarrassing the spy services.
When police were first called by de Lambray, who claimed he was being injected with drugs by a group of men, they did not take him seriously but when they arrived Vicky was dead. No puncture marks were found and an autopsy provided absolutely no clues as to what killed de Lambray. His body has been kept since at a London morgue.
Fleet Street
Fleet Street is a street in central London, United Kingdom, named after the River Fleet, a stream that now flows underground. It was the home of the British press until the 1980s...
gossip columnists. In an essay called "London Grandeur" Phaedra Kelly says "Vikki's claim was that she would be the most famous transgenderist ever and die dramatically at the age of 30".
According to The Times
The Times
The Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
newspaper, De Lambray was found dead in August 1986 of a suspected heroin dose in his flat in Stockwell
Stockwell
Stockwell is a district in inner south west London, England, located in the London Borough of Lambeth.It is situated south south-east of Charing Cross. Brixton, Clapham, Vauxhall and Kennington all border Stockwell...
, south London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. Three hours earlier, he had telephoned the Press Association
Press Association
The Press Association is the national news agency of the United Kingdom and Ireland, supplying multimedia news content to almost all national and regional newspapers, television and radio news, as well as many websites with text, pictures, video and data content globally...
and told a reporter: 'I have just been killed. I have been injected with a huge amount of heroin. I am desperate.'
No signs of injury were found on the fully clothed body. A post-mortem examination failed to pinpoint the cause of death. Coroner Sir Montague Levine recorded an open verdict
Open verdict
The Open verdict is an option open to a Coroner's jury at an Inquest in the legal system of England and Wales. The verdict strictly means that the jury confirms that the death is suspicious but is unable to reach any of the other verdicts open to them...
, saying there was no evidence that de Lambray had been injected with anything, although there were traces of drugs and alcohol in his body.
During his colourful career, de Lambray was often in the headlines because of court appearances, sex scandals and claims that he was a spy. Shortly before his death he had been trying to sell a story to the Sunday newspaper The Sunday People about a wealthy member of the aristocracy who he claimed was being supplied with heroin in return for sexual favours.
In March 1983, a senior British civil servant, Sir James Dunnet, was questioned by Scotland Yard
Scotland Yard
Scotland Yard is a metonym for the headquarters of the Metropolitan Police Service of London, UK. It derives from the location of the original Metropolitan Police headquarters at 4 Whitehall Place, which had a rear entrance on a street called Great Scotland Yard. The Scotland Yard entrance became...
detectives over a brief sexual encounter he had had with de Lambray in the early years of his retirement. Official concern over this liaison stemmed from the claim of the prostitute that a Soviet spy had also been among his clients at that time, a circumstance which might, given Dunnet's former position at the Ministry of Defence, have constituted a security risk. In the event, Ministry of Defence officials satisfied themselves that Dunnet's actions had constituted no threat to national security
Gay News
Gay News
Gay News was a pioneering fortnightly newspaper in the United Kingdom founded in June 1972 in a collaboration between former members of the Gay Liberation Front and members of the Campaign for Homosexual Equality...
carried a short article in September 1983, saying de Lambray was a convicted High Society art thief and apparent MI5 tempter/temptress, and noting his brief sexual relationship with Captain Anatoli Zotov, former Soviet Naval attache. De Lambray's 900 page autobiographical manuscript - "naming names" - went missing in the same year.
In May 1986, detectives investigating a series of homosexual murders found de Lambray's name listed in a suspect's address book. In July 1992, The Evening Standard reported that de Lambray was a friend of Private Eye
Private Eye
Private Eye is a fortnightly British satirical and current affairs magazine, edited by Ian Hislop.Since its first publication in 1961, Private Eye has been a prominent critic and lampooner of public figures and entities that it deemed guilty of any of the sins of incompetence, inefficiency,...
journalist Paul Halloran. He was also a friend of British pop group manager and entrepreneur Kit Lambert
Kit Lambert
Christopher "Kit" Sebastian Lambert was a record producer and the manager for The Who.-Early life:Kit Lambert was the son of noted composer, Constant Lambert...
.
It remains unclear whether de Lambray was, as claimed by some, a transexual: "sometimes called TS but nobody knows for sure, nor will they now."
De Lambray once changed his name by deed poll
Deed poll
A deed poll is a legal document binding only to a single person or several persons acting jointly to express an active intention...
to Louis de Rothschild — hoping he would be confused as a Rothschild family
Rothschild family
The Rothschild family , known as The House of Rothschild, or more simply as the Rothschilds, is a Jewish-German family that established European banking and finance houses starting in the late 18th century...
member. The Rothschild family paid him ten thousand pounds to change it back again, which he did.
Vicky de Lambray claimed he was addicted to the idea of becoming famous. He would regularly hire a Rolls Royce
Rolls-Royce (car)
This a list of Rolls-Royce motor cars and includes vehicles produced by:*Rolls-Royce Limited *Rolls-Royce Motors , which was owned by Vickers between 1980 and 1998, and after that by Volkswagen...
with the funds received prostituting himself in Shepherd Market
Shepherd Market
Shepherd Market is a small square in the Mayfair area of central London, England. It is located between Piccadilly and Curzon Street and has a village-like atmosphere.- History :...
in London's West End
West End of London
The West End of London is an area of central London, containing many of the city's major tourist attractions, shops, businesses, government buildings, and entertainment . Use of the term began in the early 19th century to describe fashionable areas to the west of Charing Cross...
. He would place a large sign in the back of the Rolls, saying VICKY de LAMBRAY—ENTERTAINER, and drive for hours around central London or park outside Harrods.
It was while working at Shepherd Market that de Lambray met the former head of MI6 Sir James Dunnet. During the assignation, de Lambray stole Dunnet's wallet and credit cards and was arrested after a few days while attempting to use Dunnet's credit card.
When de Lambray finally went to trial for the theft, he invented a persona named Caroline Clark who claimed to major newspapers that she was an acquaintance of de Lambrays who would sell Fleet Street newspapers the inside story about an upcoming trial involving a former spy chief. This ruse was extremely profitable for de Lambray who was splashed over the front pages of newspapers-as was Sir James Dunnet. The stories became more and more outrageous with sex stories that would have been highly embarrassing for Dunnet.
Friends warned de Lambray he was going too far by embarrassing the spy services.
When police were first called by de Lambray, who claimed he was being injected with drugs by a group of men, they did not take him seriously but when they arrived Vicky was dead. No puncture marks were found and an autopsy provided absolutely no clues as to what killed de Lambray. His body has been kept since at a London morgue.